An episode of "Top Gear UK" filmed in China. (Photo : Getty Images)
BBC Worldwide is working on a new pact with Shanghai Media Group’s Shanghai Oriental Pearl (Group) Co., Ltd with regards to Top Gear, their motoring TV program. It will bring 360 hours of airtime to BesTV platforms in China, which currently have over 26 million subscribers.
The deal includes all seasons of "Top Gear UK," five seasons of "Top Gear USA," six seasons of "Top Gear Korea" and two seasons of "Top Gear China." It will also include the latest 24th season of the show that stars Matt LeBlanc.
This deal extends the BBC Worldwide and Shanghai Media Group’s relationship. Earlier this year, they have signed another pact to co-produce "Earth: One Amazing Day for 2017."
BBC WW is also planning to work with SMG to air the movie "Sherlock: The Abominable Bride" in the Middle Kingdom in January in China.
Alibaba Picture Group’s Guangdong Yueke Software Engineering Co, a pioneer of box-office software research and development in China, is making an investment in Showtime Analytics, an Irish cinema data analytics company.
Showtime Analytics provides cinemas with box office, sales, occupancy rates, and trends analytics in more than 60 countries. Alibaba is planning to be one of the countries to use the analytics so that they can create “a new era of data operation” with cinemas on mainland China.
Sun Seven Stars Media Group, a private media and investment company owned by Bruno Wu, agreed to create a holding company worth $437 million to support the future growth of WeCast Network, a Chinese VOD provider.
WeCast is currently looking to expand globally as a business-to-business-to-consumer management platform. There are already distribution agreements in place to Disney, NBC Universal, Paramount, Fox Television and others.
Sun Seven Stars will fund 67 percent of the new holding company. The 37 percent remaining will be funded by Guizhao Guibao Investment Fund.
